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Terry Whyte: Port Alberni Citizen of the Year
Terry Whyte, the founder and President of the Abbeyfield Port Alberni Society in British Columbia, was selected Port Alberni’s “Citizen of the Year” for 2002 for his efforts to make an Abbeyfield House in the Central Island community a reality.
Whyte, a long-time resident of the Alberni Valley, has dedicated most of his life to community development and to assisting seniors in need of housing. For 11 years he was the Administrator of Fir Park Village, a 67-resident Intermediate Care Home. During his administration days the residents enjoyed one of the best-known long term care facilities in the province.
Dorothy Coons, an internationally renowned gerontologist, praised Terry in a report entitled Quality of Life in Long-term Care: “He was a strong advocate for the point of view that the total milieu should be designed in ways that would allow each participant to meet her or his individual needs. He was also dedicated to the principle that residents should have autonomy over their own lives through policy-making regarding the operation of their home, by determining the activities that were offered, and by having an active role in resolving problems.”
In 1988 Terry realized that seniors in his community were in need of housing and companionship and began working toward creating an Abbeyfield House in Port Alberni. October 3, 2001, was a crucial date in the life of the future home, when the society accepted the challenge to find out, within six days, what it would cost to renovate the old Extended Care Unit of the West Coast General Hospital for use as an Abbeyfield House, and to get written confirmation that all the funds necessary for the renovations would be available. In an unprecedented display of fundraising ability, Terry and the Port Alberni Society raised $417,000, the anticipated amount needed, in six days. The Port Alberni City Council resolved not to demolish the building, but to make it available to Abbeyfield instead.
In August 2002, Abbeyfield Port Alberni was welcoming its very first residents, and by the first week of September, 18 residents were enjoying their new House. Surrounded by Board members and others in the community, he began the second phase of his long time project: to work with the residents of the building to make it home.
It is important to say that not only has Terry Whyte made possible the formation of the House in Port Alberni, he has been instrumental in dealing with every detail of its day-to-day operation. In August and September, he was Abbeyfield’s House-mum, janitor, telephone operator and kitchen helper.
The city of Port Alberni and its citizens are proud and very fortunate to have such a figure in their community, and Abbeyfield Canada is lucky to have him as a member and driving force.
Orlando Delano, Social Director, Abbeyfield Port Alberni.
